Upasana

During the great Mahabharata war, Yudhisthira used to live separately in his camp at night. All his brothers lived in the nearby camps.

A spy of the Pandavas visited Sri Krishna and fellow Pandava brothers and informed them that he had seen Yudhisthira going out alone at night without taking any bodyguards.

Adding that it was very risky, he further added that the king visited the battle site and attended to the injured soldiers of both sides. This he however did in disguise.

Arjuna said that Yudhisthira had told him that the latter needed to do 'Upasana'. So he stayed in the tent alone.

All of them decided to find out what the matter was. They followed Yudhisthira the next night and found out that the latter gave water to the dying soldiers in disguise form. He went alone without informing anyone.

Upon returning to his camp, Yudhisthira was questioned by his brothers. Bhima said that why it was needed for Yudhisthira to risk his life and go out alone to the battlefield at night and that too alone!

Arjuna said that Yudhisthira had told them that the latter would do his Upasana for which he stayed alone. Now what for did he go out like this.

Yudhisthira calmly replied that he of course did his Upasana. Upasana means to worship or attend to. He worshipped the Lord by attending to his children who were injured and at the death bed. He went to each and every soldier lying in the battle site and found out if there was life in them. Then he gave them water.

People in their last time do not require food, but they need water, which is like nectar to them. So he gave them water and sat beside them and asked them whether they needed something or what their last wish was.

He went in disguise and alone so that the enemy soldiers would not refuse to take his help and they would be too at ease with him just like his own soldiers!

Sri Krishna and the fellow Pandava brothers now understood the reason behind Yudhisthira's this act and praised him.

Yudhisthira was truly an able and just ruler. He was a righteous king!